Gary Lineker row: Tory councillor Alexis McEvoy faces New Forest District Council investigation over 'typical black hypocrite' tweet about Ian Wright

A CONSERVATIVE councillor is being investigated by New Forest District Council and her local party over allegations of racism after she branded ex-footballer Ian Wright a "typical black hypocrite" in a now-deleted tweet.

Cllr Alexis McEvoy, who goes by @Lexxie_m on Twitter, published the message to her more than 500 followers on Saturday amid the row over Gary Lineker's online criticism of the government's language on immigration.

She represents the ward of Fawley, Blackfield & Langley on NFDC, and the South Waterside division on Hampshire County Council. She is also a member of the New Forest National Park Authority.

Her political opponents on NFDC are now calling for her to be booted out of the ruling Tory group by having the whip withdrawn.

NFDC's Tory leader Cllr Jill Cleary responded, telling the A&T: "A complaint has been made to the Conservative group and to NFDC. We're both carrying out investigations into this complaint."

Cllr Malcolm Wade, leader of NFDC's Lib Dem opposition group, has written to Cllr Cleary urging her to take "robust" action.

But Cllr McEvoy has insisted her comments have been "taken out of context", refused to apologise, and accused the Liberal Democrats of harassing her.

She told the A&T: "I've removed the tweet now, and it was taken out of context.

"I'm not really going to comment on it. I've had enough of it, quite frankly – people like [Lib Dem] Cllr Jack Davies trying to portray me in a bad light."

She added: "I've deleted the tweet because of the comments he was making. He's a trouble-making person and I've taken the tweet down.

"Are we going to talk about all the good things I do for people, whatever colour they are? I do a lot of good things for people. I'm not prepared to make a further comment on it.

"I'm tired of Jack Davies trying to stir things up – that's why I've now blocked him on Twitter. He's troublesome.

"I'm not stupid; we've got the elections coming up and people are looking for an excuse to try and discredit me."

Cllr McEvoy wrote the tweet after Wright was among the first BBC presenters to withdraw from programmes at the weekend, in support of Lineker.

Cllr Davies reacted: “People should have faith that their councillors will treat them the same as everybody else, regardless of skin colour.

"Clearly, Cllr McEvoy has shown that she is unable to do that through her postings on social media.

“I have urged the Conservative leader on New Forest District Council to withdraw the whip from Cllr McEvoy

.”

In Cllr Wade's letter to Cllr Cleary, seen by the A&T, he wrote: "This posting encourages division and racism; both issues that we as responsible council members should be fighting to stop in our society.

"Not only has this posting outraged a number of people who read it, including other council members, consider the impact on members of the public, including the black and Asian communities in our area, upon reading this from a longstanding council member."

Cllr Wade said he wanted to see "robust" disciplinary action from the Conservatives, describing it as "the only way to try and undo some of the damage it (the tweet) has done to the reputation of our council and its members".